Rahm Emanuel wins Chicago mayoral race

The people have spoken and Rahm Emanuel has been elected mayor of Chicago.

Rahm won the Windy City’s mayoral race Tuesday night after claiming 55 percent of the vote. Reuters reports that he beat out former U.S. Senator Carol Moseley Braun and four other candidates, none of whom got more than 25 percent at the polls.

During his acceptance speech Rahm thanked his constituency for the “humbling victory,” and vowed to take up his new position with enthusiasm.

“I am determined with your help to meet our challenges head on and to make a great city even greater,” said Rahm.

When Rahm takes office in May, he’ll be taking over for Richard M. Daley, who has run Chicago for more than two decades. Rahm’s election also marks a break in the Daley family’s mayoral legacy in Chicago, where one of them has been in office for 43 of the last 56 years.

Rahm’s former boss, President Barack Obama, was quick to congratulate the former White House Chief of Staff on the win.

“I want to extend my congratulations to Rahm Emanuel on a well-deserved victory tonight,” the president said in a statement. “As a Chicagoan and a friend, I couldn’t be prouder. Rahm will be a terrific mayor for all the people of Chicago.”